Heritage guttering

[grays85]

Hi all.

I've been recommended (told) that I've to use alucast guttering to match the original cast iron guttering. Anyone used it /recommend a supplier for the midlands area?

T.I.A. :wink:

 

[Nemesis]

Why can't you use cast iron as original?

 

[grays85]

you raise a good point... :roll: err. dunno...
I hadn't looked at cast as i didn't think it was available and also the conservation officer never mentioned it.. gosh I'm a bit thick eh! (retorical)
I'll look at finding some cast guttering and soil pipe.. any ideas presumably its a tad more expensive

cheers nem

 

[chuckey]

OT but in Askrigg (Wensleydale) there are houses that still use wooden gutters!!!
Frank

 

[Gervase]

Here’s some sources of cast iron rainwater goods:

http://www.tuscanor.co.uk/rainwater_goods.php - makes pipes, gutters, brackets and also general cast ironmongery (firebaskets, brackets etc) and lighting fittings.

http://www.tuscanfoundry.co.uk/ - has the widest variety of straps and brackets. Also does cast iron radiators and fittings. Both firms do gratings and rooflights.

http://www.northpole2006.org.uk/jjwlongbottom/index.htm - does pipes, gutters, airbricks and gratings, not seen their stuff ‘in the flesh’, but have had it highly recommended. About the only place that still does iron piping down to two-inch sizes, and apparently the last truly traditional pipe and gutter foundry in the UK.

http://www.rainguard.co.uk/rainwater/castiron/index.cfm - does the more popular sizes and shapes in cast iron, but also has GRP and aluminium versions (including some fancy hoppers indistinguishable for lead/iron originals)

http://www.classicalrainwater.co.uk/ - a wide range of stuff actually made by the Saint Gobain foundry. Order through Jewsons or similar rather than direct from them – it’s a lot cheaper.

http://www.rainclear.co.uk/ - Cast iron and aluminium pipes and gutters; quite a bit cheaper than Tuscan and Tuscanor, but I haven’t had a chance to inspect it.

Most will sell direct, but it’s worth seeing if your favourite merchant can place an order for you, as in some cases (and definitely with St Gobain) it will be a lot cheaper.

 

[Craig]

The St Gobain stuff is available in a system that uses the "compression" joints so you can take it apart again. V handy if you get a blocked tube...

 

[Nemesis]

I had a house with wooden gutters.

We had a discussion on here in the past, and I think Biff put stuff about it on his website.

We have used the classical as posted by Gervase to replace rotten stuff, and so far it has been fine.

 

[grays85]

thanks for the pointers.. wooden guttering sounds a nightmare..

We are okay as most of the guttering has been replaced, the bigger problem is adapting the cast soil pipe to take the new pipework from inside (we're changing the layout around..)

Emptied the previous occupants rubbish (you'd never believe...)
New drains have been laid..(plastic thankfully!!)
Dropped the garden about 2 foot..
got the old damaged plaster off: dropped the old overboarded ceilings
plans awaiting approval.. its the beginning

some pics..hopefully http://www.myspace.com/crumpfieldsfarm

 

[Nemesis]

http://www.periodproperty.co.uk/cgi-bin/discussing/forum2.pl?noframes;read=67650

 

[BMcD]

If they insist on aluminium then I've seen this firms guttering
http://www.rainwater.demon.co.uk/

installed on a listed building in Coventry
http://www.projectrestoration.tv/menagerie

and it looks fine to my untrained eye

 

[NT]

thanks for the pointers.. wooden guttering sounds a nightmare..

Why? 70 year life expectancy, very little maintenance (no painting)... far better than plastic.


NT

 

[Anita]

Why not use reclaimed cast iron guttering at a fraction of the price? We have bought loads of this to replace the nasty asbestos stuff that was put on our byre when it was "modernised" in the 50's. Try local demolition/salvage companies or the Salvo web-site for supplies.

 

[Ian Millington]

... far better than plastic.

Wooden guttering might look better than plastic but, and I hate to say this, plastic/cast iron/aluminium etc does the job so much better than wood.

The problem, as you can see from the photo of the lengths of gutter in it's raw state at a Chesterfield timber merchants, is the channel that the water flows along is very small compared to the outside dimensions.

On our house at the moment there is a split between wood and the dreaded plastic. The wood copes no problem with light rain but heavy showers do cause the gutters to overflow.

Wood was used as it was cheaper than cast iron not that it was better at doing the job.

 

[Nemesis]

I think that wood was used as it was available, but in past times it wasn't aleays a standrad size.

However- if wood isn't what the CO has asked for then it's not really an option.

Can't see why aluminium is considered better than cast though, although it is lighter to handle.

 

[NT]

... far better than plastic.

Wooden guttering might look better than plastic but, and I hate to say this, plastic/cast iron/aluminium etc does the job so much better than wood.

The problem, as you can see from the photo of the lengths of gutter in it's raw state at a Chesterfield timber merchants, is the channel that the water flows along is very small compared to the outside dimensions.

On our house at the moment there is a split between wood and the dreaded plastic. The wood copes no problem with light rain but heavy showers do cause the gutters to overflow.

Wood was used as it was cheaper than cast iron not that it was better at doing the job.

You seem to have misunderstood wood guttering. It comes in 2 main forms, not one. The type you show above is one of them, and it can be of whatever shape and dimensions your house requires.

That your guttering is too small is not because its wood, its because its too small! That the pictured gutter is so heavy on material is due to its design, not necessity.


The other form, nailed planks, is usually generous in terms of carrying capacity, and is lower cost.

As for life, you'll be hard pressed to find any plastic gutters that last 70 years.

Historically wood was used because its cheaper than cast iron. Now its little used because the public incorrectly associates it with frequent painting. Durable timber does not require painting, nor does it rot away for a very long time.


NT